Vegetable peeler



Dec. 22, 1936. w, E. URSCHEL VEGETABLE PEELER 9, 1934 4 sheetssheet 1 Filed Feb ATT NEY Dec. 22, 1936. w. E. URSCHEL VEGETABLE PEELER 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 9

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A TTORNEY VEGETABLE PEELER Filed Feb. 9, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 .//ZZ r /O w V 1NVENTOR.

' ATTOR Y Dec. 22, 1936. W. E. URscl-IEL 2,065,163

VEGETABLE PEELER Filed Feb- 9, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Dec. 22, 1936 Unirse smrgs PATENT FFIQE 14 Claims.

This invention relates to vegetable peelers and particularly to that type of machine described in the application for Letters Patent entitled Vegetable peeler, Serial Number 626,148, filed July 29, 1932, in the name of William E. Urschel.

Y The objects oi the present invention include the provision of:

A new peeling machine of improved construction having but few parts, movable and stationary, thereby lending to its eiiciency, decreasing wear and simplifying operation;

A simplied form of main frame easily assembled but amply rigid for the purpose;

An improved hopper having a hinged cover to coni-lne spray or solid matter that may be cast from the moving peeling elements;

An improved discharge spout and leak-proof door therefor;

A novel combination of mechanical means for rotating and oscillating the peeling members of the device;

A new and improved mounting facilitating ready removal of the peeling rollers from the device for cleaning or the like; A

Means for temporarily holding the peeling members apart to adapt the machine and the members themselves to cleansing without the rollers first being taken from the machine; and

A suitable flexible motor support constantly applying a predetermined tension to the drive belt connected thereto.

These objects, and such other objects as may hereinafter appear, are obtained by the novel construction, unique arrangement and improve-d combination of the elements of the device illustrated in the accompanying four sheets of drawings hereby made a part of this specification, and in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a device embodying the preferred form of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a right end elevation of the device, with respect to Figure. 1, the drive belt and pulley being removed for better illustration;

Figure 3 is a left end elevation of the device with respect to Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary View of the device taken from the front with portions of the hopper and housing broken away to display the driving mechanism and peeling rollers;

Figure 5 is a sectional view of the machine taken on line 5-5 of Figure 1 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

Figure 6 is a. sectional view of the machine taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 1 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

(Cl. 14S-49) Figure 7 is an enlarged sectional view of a peeling member taken longitudinally thereof;

Figure 8 is an end view of the internal gear illustrated in Figure 9 and showing its connection with gears for driving the peeling rollers;

Figure 9 is an enlarged sectional view of an internal gear forming a part of the driving mechanism at the right end of the device and oi the` mounting therefor;

Figure 10 is a transverse fragmentary sectional view of the device, taken at the line lll-I0 of Figure 4 looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure ll is an enlarged side view of the main drive shaft illustrating the bearings therefor in detail; and

Figure 12 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing parts of the driving mechanism of the device, the view being taken on the line |2| 2 of Figure 10 in the direction of the arrows.

Like reference characters are used in the draw- A ings and throughout the following description for designating similar parts of the device.

Support for the whole apparatus is upon a frame indicated generally by the reference character 20 and illustrated in Figures 1, 2, and 3.

The left end of the frame 29 includes legs 25 u held in spaced relation at their lower ends by a strap 26. The two pairs of legs 2| and 25 are additionally braced at their lower ends by rods 21 which are encased in tubular spacing members 23. Nuts 29 threaded upon the ends of the rods 2l draw the legs together against the ends of the spacing members 28. At the left end of the housing 23 is a casting 3|) for forming a part of such end and anchoring the upper ends of the legs 25.

Peeling of vegetables is accomplished by the rotating and oscillating of abrasive cylinders 3| illustrated in Figures 4, 5, 6, and 7. If desired, the peripheral portions 3io of the cylinders 3| may comprise porcelain in which a fine abrasive 32 is baked or attached thereto in any other conventional method.

Such cylinders 3| may be a single or continuous tube of porcelain or they may be made up of several tubular sections 3m held securely on cylinders 33 by collars 34 and 35 threaded upon said cylinders.

Washers 36 of resilient material may be disposed between the porcelain members 3 l a and collars 34 and 35 to distribute pressure evenly over the ends of such members and for their protection. At one end of each of the cylinders 3| are roller bearings 3? held in position on a shaft 38 by a shoulder 39 of a gear 46 and washer 4|.

Washer 3| is secured by spur gear 136, whose hub is in threaded relation with the collar 35, against an end of its respective sleeve or tube 33. Grooves (i2 may be provided in gear 46 to prevent the escape of lubricant from the bearings 3l and also to protect said bearings from dirt and the like. Roller bearings 31a, at the right end of cylinder 3| are held in position on the shaft 3B by means of collars (i3 and it pressed into or otherwise secured in the tube 33. Grooves 45 in the collar it serve the same purpose as the grooves i2 in gear 43.

Sections |36 at the ends of each of the shafts 38 are square and are adapted toV t into thecomple-v Ymental square apertures il of the roller holders Q8, Figures 4 and 8, where they are secured by the washers iis and nuts 55, see Figure '7. Theholders @-6 at the drive or gear end of the shaft 38 are each supported upon a shaft V| for oscillative movement therewith, see-FiguresiS and 9. A key 52 passes through each shaft 5| and into a slot 53 in the holder i8 attached thereto and, therefore, the fit between the ends of the shafts andthe central apertures 53a. of the holders 48 need not be tight so that disassembly of the parts is made easy. Washer 54| acts as a spacer member 'between key 52 and sleeve 55. The holder 48 at the opposite end of each pair of cylinders is pivotally mounted at its center to permit of oscillative movement of the rollers.

Spur gears i6 of each pair of cylinders 3| are driven by a bell-shaped internalV gear 56 the hub of which is in threaded connection with the extended hub 57 of a gear 58. Roller bearings 56 in opposite ends of the hub 57 of gear 58 are held in position on the sleeve 55 by means of a flange 6| of the hub 57| and `a face 62 at the hub of the internal gear 56. Tubular spacer members 63 holds the said bearings in spaced relation. Grooves 62 and 65 within the anges 6| of gears 5|? and within the hubs of gears 56, respectively,

protect bearings 553 from dirt and the like and pre-I vent the escape of lubricant from said bearings. Sleeve 55 is inserted in a circular aperture 66 in plate 22 and there held in position by nuts 61 in threaded relation with the said sleeve. present embodiment of the invention has two pairs of cylinders 3|. an internal gear 56 for driving each of said pairs of cylinders. scribed is had for each of the gears 56.

Gear 68 (Figures 4, 10, and 11), which drives each of the gears 56, is keyed to a shaft 69 at the other end of which is pinned or otherwise secured a drive pulley le. The shaft 69 is mounted upon the roller bearings 'H which, in turn, are held within a bearing housing'consisting of complemental parts T2 held to the'plate 22 by bolts i3 (Figure 2). The bearings 'il are held in spaced relation by a tube M. housing members 'l2 protect roller bearings 7| from abrasive or corrosive foreign matter and prevent the escape of lubricant from about theA The 1n Figure 4, there is shownY A mounting similar to that just de- Groo-ves at the ends of (Figures 4 and 12) has been offset to provide a Y crank section 8S. A stud 83 is in threaded relation with the crank section 86 and selectively positioned relatively thereto by the abutment ofthe shoulder 9| thereof with the bottom of a recess 92 Within the crank section'.

Depending pivotally from the stud 36 is a connecting member 93 connected to a, link 94 by a pin 65 and by means of a key 96 whose end is thrust into a notch 9| of the link Sli by the force of. a spring 98. The shank of key 36 is reciprocably contained in apertured ears 96 projecting fromV the same side of an arm |63 extending from the pendulous connecting member 93. Spring 93 impingingly presses between the ear 9S near the outer end of the arm |86 and a pin ||l| passing through the shank of the key 66.' By manipulating the key V93 and the members 93 and 6ft the end of such key may be removed from notch 3i and placed in notch |62 of the link Se. An armV |63 secured to the lower of. the two shafts 5| is pivotally connected to link 64 by pin it. The depending member S3 is pivotally connected to a second arm |63 upon the upper and rearmost of the two shafts 5| by a connecting rod or link |25. Revolution of shaft 'i8 actuates the linkages 93, 9d, |65 and the two arms |63, to cause oscillative movement of shafts 5|, which by means ofthe keys 52 therein cause the cylinder housingsV 48 and the cylinders 3| connected thereto to oscillate between the position shown in full lines in Figure 6 and the position shown by the dotted lines in that ligure. To facilitate cleaning of the machine beneath the cylinders, the key 66 may be withdrawn from notch 97 of. the member 94 and inserted in notch |62 thereof. This manipulation of the key 96 and members Sli and |55 causes pivotal movement of the arms |63 andV shafts 5| to place the cylinders 3| in the position shown in Figure 5 to provide aV much greater space between the two sets of cylinders than when they are in the working position illustrated in Figure 6. By spreading the two sets of cylinders, the device is easily cleaned.

A base plate |66 for the mounting of an electric motor |31 is hinged as indicated at 68 to theV top of the back side of the housing 23 (Figure 2). The motor |07 attached to hinged mounting |66 by bolts |19 drives the main shaft 69 by means of a pulley MB, a belt and the pulley 16. A spring ||2 placed about a rod H3 (Figures 1 and 2) exerts a pressure against washer H4 and nut H5 to urge the motor mounting upwardly thereby providing automatic tension adjustment for the drive belt Rod ||3 is reciprocably mounted at its lower end in angle clip H6 secured to the front leg2| by bolts and has its uppermost portion inserted in a circular aperture in the motor mounting at po-int i8.

Hereinabove it has been explained `that the cylinders 3| are arranged in pairs, each pair con- Y stituting a unit. The unit at the front of the device is the lower of the two. From Figure 4 it will be seen that the left end of the peeling cylinder units and comprising roller holders 43 are adapted to rock or oscillate about respective studs ||9 anchored in castings |20. 'Ihat is, the

studs |I9 provide mountings for the castings 48 at the left end of the cylinder units much as do the shafts at their right end and with the exception that the keys 52 prevent rotative movement of the castings 48 relative to the shafts 5|.

To take the peeling cylinder units out of the machine for any purpose such as cleaning, repair .or replacement, the two capscrews |2| (Figure 3) securing each of the castings |23 to the end of the housing 23 are loosened to permit removal of the castings. The peeling cylinder units then may be withdrawn through circular openings lilal (Figure 4).

A portion of the housing 23 consists of a hopper |22 having front and back sides |23 and |24 in common with the front and back sides of the housing, an end wall |25 in common with the left end of. the housing (Figure 4), and an end wall |23 depending downwardly into the housing. In Figure 6 it is shown that the lower edge of the end wall member |25 contains juxtaposed arcuate indented sections |21' cut upon a radius corresponding substantially to that of circular plates |28, which are attached to the roller holders i8 by means oi lugs |29 to aline with and assist the wall member |25 to complete the end wall or" the hopper and housing. Similarly, at the opposite end of the hopper (Figure 5), the wall member |26 contains indented arcuate sections |35 which are filled by circular plates |28 supported upon lugs |29 of the roller holders 48 01"' the units. Plates |28 permit of the units oscillating while at the same time retaining the vegetables within the hopper.

A spray pipe |3| is suitably suspended within the hopper |22 at a position such as is shown in Figure 6. The purpose oi said pipe |3| is to spray a liquid over the vegetables to clean them while they are being peeled and to wash the refuse toward and out of the refuse spout |32.

A hinged cover |33 is provided to conne the spray and particles .oi vegetable peelings or skins within the hopper during the peeling operation. Rivets |34 serve to pintle ears |35 at the back corners of the cover to the hopper end memb-ers |25 and |28 (Figure 6).

The peeled vegetables are discharged through opening |35 at the front side oi the hopper |22 and guided therefrom into any suitable receptacle by the spout |32 rivete-d to the hopper wall about the opening. A hinged door |38 with its lower edge adapted for tting into groove |39 (Figures 5 and 6) may be employed for closing the opening |36 during the peeling operation. Slots |48 in ear-like extensions |l|| of the door |38 and through which a rod |42 passes coact with such rod to form a hinged mounting for the door. Rod |42 is suitably secured to the upper end of side members of spout |31. A handle |53 riveted to door |38 provides for easier manipulation thereof.

The bottom of the housing 23 forms a drain indicated generally by the reference character Mii. Substantially all of the refuse consisting of waste water and particles of peeling is conducted away through the drain.

The motor |87, by means of the belt and pulleys lill and 1|), causes rotation of main drive shaft 69. The two spur gears 68 and 'l5 secured near the left end of said shaft 59 (Figure 4) drive the gears 58 and Tl, respectively. Gear 58 drives the mechanism for rotating the cylinders 3| about their individual axes while gear drives the mechanism for oscillating the paired rollers. Gears 58 revolve about and independently of shafts 5| to rotate the bell-shaped internal gears 56. From Figure 8, it is apparent that rotation of the internal gear 56 will cause rotation of the two spur gears 40 attached to the cylinders 3| thereby rotating said cylinders.

Gear drives shaft i8 to impart a circular movement to the member 93 and hence oscillatory movement to the arms |03 by means of the connecting members 91| and |55. Arms |53 impart a like oscillatory movement to the two units or pairs of cylinders 3| to which they are respectively connected by shafts 5| and the castings 58. This oscillative movement of the paired cylinders takes place during the time of their rotation to change the contour of the supporting surface of the bed of cylinders so that all sides of vegetables or other articles supported thereon for peeling may have their peel come in contact therewith. All of the cylinders rotate in the same direction.

This rotative movement of the cylinders t0- gether with their oscillating or rocking motion causes the whole mass of vegetables in the hopper |22 to slowly revolve in a unitary mass thus allowing each individual vegetable to come in contact with each cylinder 3|. After each individual vegetable comes in contact with the last of the cylinders 3| traversed thereby, it is carried upwardly and toward the back of the mass to again be conducted over the cylinders and the process repeated until all of the articles are peeled. The rocking movement of the cylinders 3| facilitates more rapid peeling and causes those vegetables to be more thoroughly agitated. The constant turbulation of the articles by the up and down movement of the cylinders overcomes any tendency of the vegetables to pack into a relatively stationary group.

Upon completion of the peeling process, the Vegetables in hopper |22 are released by opening the door |38 and are guided by the chute |31 into a suitable receptacle.

What is claimed as new and is desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A peeling mechanism comprising a bed of roughened cylinders for supporting articles to be peeled, means for moving each adjacent cylinder bodily up and down to change the level of sections of the articles supporting area of said bed, and means for rotating said cylinders during such movement.

2. A peeling mechanism comprising a bed of juxtaposed roughened members rotatable upon parallel axes and providing support for articles to be peeled, means for moving each adjacent member bodily in an opposite up and down direction transversely of such axes to change the levels of sections of the supporting area of said bed, and means for rotating said members during such movement.

3. A peeling mechanism comprising a bed of a plurality of pairs of roughened members rotatable about parallel axes and providing support for articles to be peeled, independent supporting means for each pair of members, the pairs of members being in staggered arrangement as to height, means adapted to produce oscillative movement of each independent supporting means within said bed, whereby to oscillate said pairs of members, and means concurrently rotating the individual members.

4. In a peeling mechanism, a combination of a hopper, a plurality of pairs of rotatable peeling rollers, an internal planetary gear for each pair of rollers, means for rotating said internal gear, a gear connected to each roller and enmeshing with the teeth of said internal gear whereby to drive said gears, an-d means for automatically shifting each of said gears bodily in an arcuate path concentric with the path of rotation of said internal gear.

5. In a peeling mechanism, a combination of a hopper, a plurality of pairs of rotatable peeling rollers, an internal planetary gear for each pair of rollers, means for rotating said internal gear, a gear connected to each roller and enmeshing with the teeth of said internal gear whereby to drive said gears, and means for automatically shifting each of said gears bodily in an arcuate path concentric with the path of rotation of said internal gear, and manual means for additionally shifting each of said gears in an arcuate path.

6. A peeling mechanism comprising a bed of adjacent, paired, roughened cylinders rotatable about parallel axes for supporting articles to be peeled, means for simultaneously oscillating the cylinders of each pair about a longitudinal axis Y approximately midway between the cylinders of each pair to change the level of all of the cylinders in said bed, and means for rotating said cylinders individually during such oscillation.

7. A peeling mechanism comprising-a bed of adjacent, paired, Aroughened cylinders rotatable about parallel axesV for supporting articles to be peeled, means for simultaneously oscillating the cylinders of each pair about a longitudinal axis approximately midway between the cylinders of each pair to change the level of all the cylinders in said bed, and means for rotating said cylinders in the same direction during such oscillation.

8. A peeling mechanism comprising a bed of paired, roughened cylinders rotatable about parallel axes, means for separately and simultaneously moving the cylinders of each pair in opposite directions about an axis parallel to the cylinders to shift the position of each of the cylinders simultaneously to change the level of the cylinders inthe surface of said bed, and means for continuf ously rotating said cylinders.

9. A peeling mechanism comprising a hopper, a bed of paired, adjacent, roughened cylinders rotatable about parallel axes and forming the bottom of the hopper, means for separately and simultaneously moving the cylinders of each pair in opposite directionsV about an axis parallel to the cylinders to shift the position of each of the cylinders simultaneously to change the level of the cylinders in the surface of said bed, and means for continuously rotating said cylinders.

10. A peeling mechanism comprising a bed of paired, roughened cylinders rotatable about parallel axes, means for separately and simultaneously moving the cylinders of each pair in a predetermined path in opposite directions about an axis parallel to the cylinders to shift the position of each of the cylinders simultaneously to change the level of the cylinders in the surface of said bed, means for continuously rotating said cylinders, and means for increasing the length of said predetermined'path of movement of said cylinders to effect the displacement thereof for the purpose of cleaning the cylinders.

11. A peeling mechanism comprising a bed including a plurality of roughened cylinders rotatable about parallel horizontal axes, means for simultaneously moving Vall adjacent cylinders bodily in opposite directions, up and down, to

change the level of sections of the article supporting area of said bed, and means for continuously rotating saidV cylinders during such motion.

12. A peeling mechanism comprising a hopper, a bed including a plurality of roughened cylinders forming the bottom of said hopper and rotatable about parallel horizontal axes, means for simultaneously moving all adjacent cylinders bodily in opposite directions, up and down, to change the level of sections of the article supporting area of said bed, and means for continuously rotating said cylinders during such motion. Y

13. A peeling mechanism comprising a bed of roughened cylinders rotatable about parallel hori- Zontal axes, means for simultaneously moving all adjacent cylinders bodily in opposite directions, up and down, to change the level of sections of the article supporting area of said bed, and means for continuously rotating said cylinders in thesame direction during such motion.

14. A peeling mechanism comprising a bed, in-4 cluding a plurality of peeling members rotatable n about parallel horizontal axes, means for simul-V taneously moving all adjacent peeling members bodily in opposite directions, up and down, to change the level of sections of the article supporting area of said bed, and means for continuously rotating said cylinders during such motion.

WILLIAM E. URSCHEL. 

